December 2017

Written by Johanna Cunningham
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01 December 2017

Sometimes it is nice to just connect with others to help out in a pinch. This is just what AACSC did in light of the hurricanes in Puerto Rico and Florida. I must begin by thanking a very special member, Bonnie Stern, and Steve Shaw, who is a Board Member and Rotarian. Bonnie’s idea was born at the library, who said that even reading something to take your mind off of the devastation can be a good thing. She could not be more correct and now boxes and boxes of books, many for children, are headed to a new home. Thank you Bonnie, Steve and the Rotarians for helping us connect. And a BIG thank you to Sylvia Hopper from Friends of Signal Hill Library for the offer—it is a great way to give back.

As we end the year, this is also the best time to talk about how you are going to approach 2018. What are your goals, what NEW things do you want to achieve and how will you be a better owner, manager or supervisor at the end of 2018 than you are today? Moving forward in your career takes time and thought. I love a good journey, but I have always had in mind the direction I want to go. As the Cheshire Cat said, “If you don’t know which way you want to go, then it doesn’t much matter which road you take.” Well said, but you are still following a path—the question now is “to where”?

One determining factor to consider is this: do you want to attend live classes or do you want to take online classes? This is where our NAA Visto Courses can help you even when you cannot attend a live course. In fact, I mention this now because you can receive 20 percent off of online courses when you go to www.GoWithVisto.org. Use the code AFF20 to get your 20 percent discount. Buy one course or buy in bulk and start enhancing your career today. The offer can also be found in the NAA Units magazine.

But the final entry to this year is unfortunately not ending with a bang, that is, unless the words Rent Control are being uttered. We don’t know how this will end but we do know that this is not in the best interest of our tenants. Too bad that the tenant groups are sending an uninformed message. So it is up to us to make sure that our tenants know that a rent control ordinance will not help them but will do just the opposite. It is our responsibility as multi-family owners to protect our industry. NOW is the time to get involved, to support this industry — YOUR industry, YOUR investment and YOUR retirement. 2018 will be a year in which our industry will correctly inform and educate about the realities of and the cost of rent control. My wish for 2018 is that we bring EVERY OWNER to the table to fight this fight. It is not for others to do, but for each of us to contribute to the industry we love.

I wish you peace for the holidays, safety for your loved ones in their travels and the spirit of grace and understanding for those who are not as fortunate.